This should be a prosperous time for Justice Obini, a cocoa farmer in West Africa. With appetite for chocolate at an all-time high – the global demand has risen 13 percent in five years – his cocoa beans are sought after. Yet Obini struggles daily to take care of his farm -- and his family of ten.

6/6/2014 - In the current certification landscape, collaboration becomes more and more essential to bring good practice to scale. In June 2014, UTZ Certified and Fair Trade USA will begin a joint effort to support sustainable livelihoods for more farmers and workers, beginning in cocoa. Through this work, we aim to drive broader market access, increase social and economic benefits, and significantly reduce the cost of being certified against two programs.